Few Things Are Prettier Than an Immaculately Restored Vintage Mini

Emma Watson. Fiji. Show horses. That's about it.

By Shari Gab

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11 April 2017

When we talk about kitchy cars that still kick ass, we're probably talking about one name: Mini.

Originally created in 1959 as a daily driver for the masses, today — thanks in no small part to an endorsement from racing legend John Cooper and a starring role in 1969 film The Italian Job and its 2003 remake — it’s more of a good-times accessory. (An accessory that will pay its fair share of visits to the shop, buyer beware.)

And while the revived Mini Coope is no slouch, a cherry vintage edition is what you're really looking for. Enter David Brown Automotive, who just unveiled a “Remastered” version of the iconic city Mini. Starting with a classic frame, DBA kept alterations to the original to a minimum.

Mini (6 images)

The little tweaks they made pay a difference, though: Soundproofing. A more durable paint polish. A plusher interior with buttery leathers, milled aluminum accents, a digital display and a slew of bespoke add-on options to suit each buyer's desires.

The whole point of the Remastered is that it’ll satisfy your appetite for a classic without all the traditional vintage-ride headaches. Under the hood, there’s a swooped-up 4-cylinder with 78 horsepower and a top speed of 90 mph. Primed with 1275 ccs, the newbie has nearly double the power of a standard Mini.

Unsurprisingly, the whole kit and caboodle comes with a healthy price tag of around $90,000.

Twenty-five of these special editions have been announced with deliveries slated for late 2017. The production run in total has yet to be announced, but it’s unlikely that the Brown team will craft more than 100 Remastered editions. Each little bugger takes more than 1,000 hours to make, after all.